


Fever

by Cai (caidanu)



Category: Loveless
Genre: Comfort, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-07 14:09:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16855426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caidanu/pseuds/Cai
Summary: Ritsuka finds his lover passed out on the balcony and decides it's his turn to take care of Soubi.





	Fever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [YuliaLeafhill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YuliaLeafhill/gifts).



> tumblr prompt requests
> 
> Prompt: Soubi has a fever, Ritsuka finds him collapsed in his balcony and has to get Soubi comfy in his bed for the night to nurse him back to health.

Ritsuka quietly shut the door behind him, then unbuttoned and took off his coat. The overhead light in the living room was turned off with only the small lamp next to the couch to provide him with enough light to see. Soubi, undoubtedly left it on for him and had probably already headed to bed. Ritsuka sighed—a little disappointed that he had gotten home too late to have their usual dinner—as he hung his coat on the hooks next to the door and softly walked across the room. While he had enjoyed his visit with Natsuo and Youji, the two had exhausted him by the end with their incessant teasing and questions about what his relationship was with Soubi now that they had lived together for a year. Never had he wished more that he would have gently insisted on them going together, but Soubi had wanted to stay home and paint so he let it drop and kept his disappointment to himself.

His stomach grumbled, making him think about dinner again. He had no doubt leftovers were left for him in the fridge, and he couldn’t wait to see delicious meal Soubi had made for him tonight. Ritsuka took a couple steps forward when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye, giving him pause. The balcony door had been left open a few inches. He frowned. Odd. Soubi was so careful and meticulous about everything he did. If he had gone to bed the door would have been closed up and locked. He never left any of the doors or windows open.

“Soubi?” Ritsuka wandered over to the balcony to investigate, keeping his footfalls soft enough so that he didn’t make a sound. There Soubi lay, passed out on the small lounge chair they had put out there a few weeks ago. He silently slid the door open all the way and went outside.

The canvas had been barely touched and some of the paints had been left open and looked like they had already dried up. His attention returned to the lounge. Ritsuka bent down and moved the back of his hand over Soubi’s forehead. He furrowed his brow at the heat he felt on his hand. Soubi was burning up, his lips pale and skin damp from sweat; he looked so sickly in the outside light, although, if it weren’t for the fever, Ritsuka might have mistaken it the luminous glow of the iridescent light above the balcony door.

Had he been in such a hurry to head out earlier that he had missed Soubi’s sickness? He didn’t think so. Either it had come up on Soubi quickly or the information had been intentionally withheld from him so that he wouldn’t cancel his plans. The former was possible but the latter most likely true. It wouldn’t be the first time he caught Soubi holding something back to spare his feelings or make sure he didn’t have to face disappointment. Ritsuka appreciated the gesture, but it was an often misplaced feeling buried in years of insecurity and fear of abandonment.

He softly cursed under his breath while tenderly cupping Soubi’s cheek—when would he learn he didn’t have to put his needs aside like this, that he was good enough, beautiful as the way he was? How could he have not known Ritsuka wouldn’t have been disappointed to stay home with him? A light wind blew, halting those thoughts, and Ritsuka shivered a bit. The night air felt far too chilly on his skin. He gently picked Soubi up—carefully closing and locking the door behind them—and carried him inside and to their bedroom. Once he got Soubi settled in close to the middle of the bed, Ritsuka took off his pants and shoes, made him as comfortable as possible, taking the time to prop his head up on a pillow and cover him up with a blanket. Ritsuka kissed his forehead, then stood up and momentarily left to get some medicine for the fever and a glass of water. He set them on the night stand next to the bed and slid in next to Soubi.

His fingers moved through Soubi’s hair while he waited to fall asleep or tend to his lover. He would stay awake for as long as he could, knowing that even if he did doze, any movement would be enough to wake him, and when it did, he’d be there, ready with the medicine and whatever else Soubi needed. He would even skip his classes at the University tomorrow if the fever got worse. Ritsuka kissed him on the top of his head while holding him close and drifted off to sleep with images of gold and red butterflies flittering through his mind.


End file.
